One of
the things that lingers in the back of a student’s mind is life after school—the
constant search for internships, jobs, and purpose that inevitably follows
graduation. The fear of the unknown, and what the future might hold, is a topic
of conversation that Mr. Miller and I have breached a number of times—especially
after I’d applied for an internship with a large company well outside the scope
of my studies. I think he made some good points on this front, notably that
most students expect to find a career straight out of school that they’ll work for
the next 30 years. This simply isn’t the case. More often than not, the years
after school are best spent simply working whatever decent jobs we can find,
and using the experiences to add skills, make connections, and figure out what
type of work we truly enjoy. This sentiment was echoed by a Student Managed
Investment Fund speaker this last week, and really began to ring true. When you
come right down to it, it’s not so strange to spend 2 years figuring out how to
spend the next 38.
This
idea really began to set in when my best friend’s parents visited last week,
and over small talk asked me what I wanted to do after graduation. As I always
do, I explained how financial markets and services interested me, and how I’d
love to explore money management, corporate finance, or investment analysis. In
short, I explained that I was a business-economics major was my band-aid fix
for having no idea what I wanted to do. I think that’s okay. The more I read,
the more I grow to understand that some of the most successful people in their
fields also had no idea what would interest them. Bob Goff couldn’t have
predicted that he’d become the U.S. ambassador to Uganda, or high-powered
lawyer. Al Gore wasn’t always a huge environmental advocate. Harrison Ford didn’t
know he’d become a famous actor in Star Wars or Indiana Jones. I think our
lives post-Wheaton ought to be oriented around the eternal—relationships and
scripture. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 has gone a long way to mitigating the nagging desire
for the successes of this world for me, encouraging us to remain content with
few amenities, for we came into the world with none.
While
we have little control over the whims of life, and we find increasingly that
our lives are in God’s hands (the more I learn, the more I’m baffled by how
little we understand the world around us), what we can control is our attitude
towards our circumstances. Whether I’m working in corporate finance for a
fortune 500 company, or find myself drawn to missions or NGO work like so many
Wheaties before me, I choose to be content. To learn, to live, and to grow.
So reassuring to know that we don't have to have it all figured out right away. Thank you for the reminder that we can learn as we go!
ReplyDeleteThis is such an important thing to learn! We are called to be good stewards of what we are given, so it's appropriate to make plans and set goals. However, we should hold all these things loosely and be ready if/when God turns it all seemingly upside-down. It's also very important to note the trends in career longevity. These days, people change not only jobs, but entire career fields multiple times during their working life. While this may seems like an unwanted complication (as opposed to landing a solid job and working your way up the ladder), I think this should actually be encouraging for students getting ready to enter the work force. Each of us has multiple areas of talent that can be used at different times in different places. It is not up to us to find the "perfect" place where our gifts can be used best. God will guide us to the places where he wants to use our abilities, when he wants.
ReplyDeleteSean, this is a great thing you have learned and ultimately passed on to us who are still at Wheaton grinding through courses and the day-to-day life. I think you are 100% right when you talk about using two years to figure out the next thirty-eight. I'm only 21, but decades from now I want to be able to look back on my life and say I used key advice like this to better myself, my business, and my family. Also, thank you for tying in 1 Timothy into your blog, it is helpful to be able to see God in growth and advice.
ReplyDeleteSean,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate this post. I struggle with this fear of the future, and this was very helpful advice. I tend want to take control of my life and act like I have my plan for the future, when in reality I have no idea what I am going to do post-graduation. I think it is so important to have that eternal mindset that you mentioned, focusing on relationships and not letting our circumstances define our attitudes about life. I tend to see school as a burden I have to carry instead of an opportunity that God has given me. I am learning to be content where I am right now in the present, instead of constantly wishing I was somewhere else utilizing certain talents I have that I feel like aren't been used right now. I know God has me here at Wheaton for a reason, I just need to put this faith into practice. I can relate to the business-economics major being a sort of "band-aid" as you mentioned, but I think God wants me in this major for a reason, and I just need to trust that and apply myself. Reading your post helped me to realize this truth, so thank you!
Sean this was a great post about something that is so prevalent in a lot of our lives right now. As i read your post, I definitely agree with how we shouldn't expect to work at a job for 40 years right after graduating. It is important to use those years to gain various experiences that will help us determine what we really want to do in our lives.
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